I notice mine is a little jerky at slow speed, besides the weight being removed how do you break one in? The instructions never say anthing about it on any Loco. Usually most of my locos purchased run fine. Though some have been a little jerky at low speeds. I am very careful with this engine since its not like I can run to the store and get another. Thanks again.
FWIW - Lionel’s warrenty is only for 1 year, parts and labor, and only if purchased from a authorized dealer. So that leaves out a lot of Ebay sellers.
Lionel doesn’t stock much in the way of parts for the O guage models that are older than about 5 years, and there wasn’t a large stock of parts for the Challenger to begin with. So don’t hold out a lot of hope if parts are needed.
If someone want’s a Challenger, I’d suggest the Athearn model. Athearn is pretty good with parts support, the loco is still a current product, and is equal to the Lionel version.
Jim F
The Lionel was one of the first locomotives on which I used Automatic Transmission Fluid, the Dextron II. I lubed the journals and pivoting rods and valve gear with the ATF about two years ago now and have not done it since. Mind you, the engine has maybe two hours of running time on it, so it’s not as if I have been negligent in the meantime.
I performed the surgery suggested by the reviewer in the article at Tony’s Train Exchange, and have not regretted my decision once.
Like any fine engine, especially steamers, they do better once they are worn in. My BLI’s are all like that, and so is the Lionel. Lube yours by inverting it onto a rolled towel or some other soft cradle, and use your rail nipper to snip the eyelet on a sewing needle in half…you want a yoke left when you nip off the top half of the eyelet. Dip that eyelet into a wee bit of ATF and touch the eyelet to all the pivoting and rotating surfaces. Be patient and meticulous, and don’t add more lube than is necessary. Meaning, less is much better than too much.
Then, expect to have to run the engine, even if over several sessions, for up to an hour before it runs smoothly. If the quality assurance in the factory was there, your engine should then have the same running characteristics as mine.
Have fun.
That is really helpful, thanks. I will conduct tender surgery on Sunday and use your idea to create a needle rail nipper. Gosh I also have to complete my oil refinery so I can detail it. Busy, Busy. I must admit the lionel Challenger is awesome looking. I am going to find a oil buring model with the smoke deflectors. Thanks again for your help. I will let you know how the surgery goes.
Are there any Lionel dealers/stores that still have any new old stock of these Lionel HO engines for sale? I have tried Ebay with little luck. I would appreciate any help from forum members if they can direct me to any dealer they know of that still has these engines for sale.
Thanks in advance…
The first page of this thread has a poster who says he knew of the whereabouts of at least one. Check it out.
Would you believe that I have a brand new veranda in the box that I bought from my LHS for $180.00???..he had two of them and i could only afford one at the time…this was a few years ago…
HO Lionel . Besides it recent Union Pacific turbine and the Challenger the only other Ho that I’m aware of was some HO made in the early 1960’s. I had a set of Lionel HO Alco FA’s in "Texas Special red and white. The locomotives had a belt drive. There was a shaft from the motor to a pulley above each truck. The truck had a pulley in it that the belt ran in which powered each axle. The belt slipped easily so the engines didn’t pull very well.
I, too, have two - one Rio Grande and one UP. I paid somewhere between $400 - $500 a couple of years ago (2006) and have also felt the price was well worth it.
Recently (July 2008) I have seen a couple on eBay. One is a UP #3985 still in the original shipping box, never opened, being offered for $1,299. The other is a Denver & Rio Grande Western #3801, also mint condition in original shipping box, being offered for $1,499. I’ve owned three other Challengers by other manufacturers (what can I say, I like Challengers!) and have sold two of them because they didn’t perform anywhere near as well as these Lionels.
Since the two Lionels have the same internals, they run together well doubleheaded – and in that configuration they can pull out tree stumps. [:-,]
The upgrade QSI microchip for the Lionel HO Challenger is well worth the money. The whistle has been improved and the slow speed control allows mine to creep on speed step 1 of 128.
I got my upgrade chip from Tony’s Train Exchange, part LIO HO402.
The original chip’s whistle had been very shrill and raspy, and the only cure was to lower the overall volume, which naturally lowered the volume of the other sounds. With the new microchip, I turned the volume back up and the whistle sounds much clearer.